Tutorials

EnyoJS Tutorial #5 – Managing Form

May 27, 2013
Good Stuff

Second to list controls (previous tutorial), form control is equally important controls of Enyo App. Today we are going to cover a little bit on the followings :-

  • Form input and textarea control
  • Form picker control
  • Form checkbox control
  • Some guide on how to submit the form using enyo Ajax.
  • Note: Because of security restrictions, if you choose to develop in Chrome and load your app directly from the file system, you’ll need to launch the browser using the command-line switch “–allow-file-access-from-files”. On Windows, you can do this by creating a shortcut to chrome.exe and adding the switch to the end of the shortcut’s Target property. Then use the shortcut each time you launch the browser. A similar approach should work on Mac and Linux as well. Or just use a webserver.

Like all static pages, you should always create a control kind file for your form (without any submit button, header or footer). Just pure form. This way, you can also reuse the same kind for edit/view mode. I’ve created a SampleForm.js check out the tutorial comment embedded inside.

enyo.kind({
	name: "SampleForm",
	kind: "FittableRows",
	classes: "enyo-fit enyo-unselectable padding15px formBg",
	components: [
		{ style:"height:20px" },
		{
			// input decorator is a special div that surround the actual input. This is useful
			// to further style the input with icons and etc. Input decorator also has a unique
			// onfocus selector making it looked like a real input instead.
			kind: "onyx.InputDecorator",
			classes:"inputStyler",
			components: [
				{
					name:"txtName",
					kind: "onyx.Input",
					placeholder: "Enter a Name",
					type:"text",
					// you can insert all sort of event like onchange, oninput, onfocus etc.
					// you can use this attributes properties for additional attributes
					// like data-role, maxlength, readonly and required
					attributes:{
						maxlength:80,
						required:"required"
					}
				}
			]
		},
		{ style:"height:10px" },
		{
			kind: "onyx.InputDecorator",
			classes:"inputStyler",
			components: [
				{
					name:"txtPassword",
					kind: "onyx.Input",
					placeholder: "Enter Password",
					type:"password",
					attributes:{
						maxlength:10,
						required:"required"
					}
				}
			]
		},
		{ style:"height:10px" },
		{
			//Sometimes, is useful to position fittablecolumsnlayout to place multiple div in
			//horizontal mode. Also take note, some control won't appear unless you specify some
			//height onto it.
			layoutKind: "FittableColumnsLayout",
			style:'height:32px',
			components:[
				{
					content:"Registered Member ? ",
					style:"width:200px;padding:8px;"
				},
				{
					name:"checkMember",
					kind:"onyx.Checkbox",
					onchange:"checkboxChanged",
					checked: true,
					style:"width:100px;"
				}
			]
		},
		{ style:"height:10px" },
		// Next we move on to what is know as a picker. Picker is basically, a control that
		// creates and popup list of choices.
		// Alternatively you can use kind:enyo.Select, but according to enyoJS developer,
		// best to use a enyoJS picker as some platform like webos or third party OS may not
		// have select tag, build to them. Like onyx.input, picker also comes with it's own
		// decorator and a special button that trigger the picker to popup itself. All together
		// 3 components.
		{
			name:"pickerMemberType",
			kind: "onyx.PickerDecorator",
			components: [
				{
					kind: "onyx.PickerButton",
					content: "Select Member Type...",
					style: "width: 100%"
				},
				{
					kind: "onyx.Picker",
					components: [
						{content: "Platinum"},
						{content: "Gold"},
						{content: "Silver"}
					]
				}
			]
		},
		{ style:"height:10px" },
		// Lastly this is textarea. Which is also comes with it's decorator. Unlike normal
		// textarea, enyo has maxlength controls on it too :)
		{
			kind: "onyx.InputDecorator",
			classes:"inputStyler",
			components:[
				{
					kind:"onyx.TextArea",
					name:"txtAddress",
					style:'width:100%',
					placeholder:"Enter Address",
					attributes:{
						maxlength:300,
						required:"required"
					}
				}
			]
		}
	],
	create: function(inSender,inEvent){
		this.inherited(arguments);
	}
});

My App.js is modified like this, I basically, include the form as a kind within the component of the scroller. So, the content of the form will scroll automatically should any height changes e.g. mobile orientation changes.

enyo.kind({
   name: "App",
   kind: "FittableRows",
   classes: "enyo-fit enyo-unselectable",
   components: [
      { kind:"Header" },
      {
          kind: "Scroller",
          name: "contentControl",
          fit:true,
          touch:true,
          thumb:true,
          components:[
            {
              name:"registerFormControl",
              kind:"SampleForm"
            }
          ]
      },
      { kind:"Footer" }
    ],
    create: function(){
	this.inherited(arguments);
    }
});

Next, we need to script some form method like getFormValues(), so that, any parent controller can access and get the values of each form elements using the hash later.

enyo.kind({
	name: "SampleForm",
	kind: "FittableRows",
	classes: "enyo-fit enyo-unselectable padding15px formBg",
	components: [
		{ style:"height:20px" },
		{
			// input decorator is a special div that surround the actual input. This is useful
			// to further style the input with icons and etc. Input decorator also has a unique
			// onfocus selector making it looked like a real input instead.
			kind: "onyx.InputDecorator",
			classes:"inputStyler",
			components: [
				{
					name:"txtName",
					kind: "onyx.Input",
					placeholder: "Enter a Name",
					type:"text",
					// you can insert all sort of event like onchange, oninput, onfocus etc.
					// you can use this attributes properties for additional attributes
					// like data-role, maxlength, readonly and required
					attributes:{
						maxlength:80,
						required:"required"
					}
				}
			]
		},
		{ style:"height:10px" },
		{
			kind: "onyx.InputDecorator",
			classes:"inputStyler",
			components: [
				{
					name:"txtPassword",
					kind: "onyx.Input",
					placeholder: "Enter Password",
					type:"password",
					attributes:{
						maxlength:10,
						required:"required"
					}
				}
			]
		},
		{ style:"height:10px" },
		{
			//Sometimes, is useful to position fittablecolumsnlayout to place multiple div in
			//horizontal mode. Also take note, some control won't appear unless you specify some
			//height onto it.
			layoutKind: "FittableColumnsLayout",
			style:'height:32px',
			components:[
				{
					content:"Registered Member ? ",
					style:"width:200px;padding:8px;"
				},
				{
					name:"checkMember",
					kind:"onyx.Checkbox",
					onchange:"checkboxChanged",
					checked: true,
					style:"width:100px;"
				}
			]
		},
		{ style:"height:10px" },
		// Next we move on to what is know as a picker. Picker is basically, a control that
		// creates and popup list of choices.
		// Alternatively you can use kind:enyo.Select, but according to enyoJS developer,
		// best to use a enyoJS picker as some platform like webos or third party OS may not
		// have select tag, build to them. Like onyx.input, picker also comes with it's own
		// decorator and a special button that trigger the picker to popup itself. All together
		// 3 components.
		{
			name:"pickerMemberType",
			kind: "onyx.PickerDecorator",
			components: [
				{
					kind: "onyx.PickerButton",
					content: "Select Member Type...",
					style: "width: 100%"
				},
				{
					kind: "onyx.Picker",
					components: [
						{content: "Platinum"},
						{content: "Gold"},
						{content: "Silver"}
					]
				}
			]
		},
		{ style:"height:10px" },
		// Lastly this is textarea. Which is also comes with it's decorator. Unlike normal
		// textarea, enyo has maxlength controls on it too :)
		{
			kind: "onyx.InputDecorator",
			classes:"inputStyler",
			components:[
				{
					kind:"onyx.TextArea",
					name:"txtAddress",
					style:'width:100%',
					placeholder:"Enter Address",
					attributes:{
						maxlength:300,
						required:"required"
					}
				}
			]
		}
	],
	create: function(inSender,inEvent){
		this.inherited(arguments);
 
	},
	getFormValues:function(){
		this.payLoad = {};
		//To do this method, make sure all controls are named.
		this.payLoad.txtName = this.$.txtName.getValue();
		this.payLoad.txtPassword = this.$.txtPassword.getValue();
		this.payLoad.isMember = this.$.checkMember.getValue();
		// This is how you access picker selected item. Should also check
		// if the values are selected for validation.
		if (this.$.pickerMemberType.selected != null){
			this.payLoad.memberType = this.$.pickerMemberType.selected.content;
		}
		// Accessing textarea is the same as input type.
		this.payLoad.txtAddress = this.$.txtAddress.getValue();
		console.log(this.payLoad);
		return this.payLoad;
	}
});

I’ve change the footer with this code and added a this.bubble to pass the event to it’s parent the App.js.

enyo.kind({
    name: "Footer",
    kind: "Control",
    components: [
        {
            kind: "onyx.Toolbar",
            style:"text-align:center;margin:0px !important;padding:0px !important",
            components:[
        	{
        		kind:"onyx.Button",
        		classes:"fullScreenButton",
        		content:"Submit",
        		ontap:"handleSubmit"
        	}
            ]
        }
    ],
    handleSubmit:function(inSender,inEvent) {
        //bubbling an event to the parent.
    	this.bubble("onSubmit");
    }
});

The final step, we attached an onSubmit listener into footer and initiate the ajax called

enyo.kind({
	name: "App",
	kind: "FittableRows",
	classes: "enyo-fit enyo-unselectable",
	components: [
           { kind:"Header" },
           {
             kind: "Scroller",
             name: "contentControl",
             fit:true,
             touch:true,
             thumb:true,
             components:[
               {
                 name:"registerFormControl",
                 kind:"SampleForm"
               }
             ]
          },
          {
             kind:"Footer",
             onSubmit:"handleFormSubmit"
          }
	],
	create: function(){
              this.inherited(arguments);
	},
        handleFormSubmit:function(inSender,inEvent) {
             //Access a kind method is as simple as hashing it's name and trigger the method.
             this.payLoad = this.$.registerFormControl.getFormValues();
             console.log(this.payLoad);
             //This is a standard enyo.Ajax to post data.
             var ajax = new enyo.Ajax({
                 url: "http://www.yourgatewayurl.com",
                 method:"POST",
                 timeout:5000,
                 contentType:"application/json"
             });
              // send parameters the remote service using the 'go()' method
             ajax.go(this.payLoad);
             // attach responders to the transaction object. processResponse is the handler function.
             ajax.response(this, "processResponse");
             // handle error
             ajax.error(this, "processError");
  },
  processResponse:function(inSender,inResponse) {
      alert("All Done");
  },
  processError:function(inSender,inResponse) {
      alert("Failed");
  }
});

FYI, the enyo.ajax is just an example and it will return as failed. You should modify it to point to a simple ajax web service of your own ip or domain to test it out. That’s it for today comprehensive lesson.

As for today’s tutorial stuff

Enyo Tutorial #5 (665 downloads)

 

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